Budget-savvy summer travel tips

Posted: July 6, 2012 - 12:00am

(ARA) - Summer is a great time for a road trip. With kids out of school and longer hours of daylight, many families will head out on the highway to a variety of summer vacation destinations. For many, night-time driving will be an unavoidable necessity if they want to make the most of their vacation time.

It’s important to keep night-time travel as safe, comfortable and convenient as possible for everyone who rides in your vehicle. If you’ll be driving at night during this summer’s vacation, here are some tips to help ensure you enjoy good travels:

Prepare Your Vehicle

Before you begin your trip, make sure your vehicle is in top shape for traveling at night. Take care of any necessary repairs or maintenance, no matter how minor they seem, including things like checking that tires are properly inflated and the air filter is clean and functioning properly.

Visibility is an important consideration for night driving. All windows, headlights and tail lights should be clean and unclouded. Check headlights to ensure they’re properly aimed; poorly aligned headlights can make it difficult for you to see the road, and can blind drivers in other vehicles.

Don’t overlook the importance of comfort and convenience. Outfit your vehicle with accessories that will make operating it in the dark as easy as possible. For example, truck bed lights can attach to any 12V power source in a pickup truck, SUV, boat or camper, and allows you to easily see important cargo areas at night.

Look After Your Passengers

Before setting out on your summer driving trip, be sure interior climate controls function properly and that all passengers have the proper safety restraints. Infants and children should ride in the back seat throughout the trip.

Although it may be tempting to allow children to lay down in back seats and sleep during night drives, children should be properly buckled up whenever traveling in a vehicle. Put infants and toddlers in car seats appropriate for their weight and age. Children younger than 12, shorter than 4 feet 9 inches, or less than 80 pounds should use a booster seat, according to SafeKids.org.

Do provide accessories like neck pillows, night lights and soothing music to encourage kids to rest during night-time driving.

Take care of yourself

As the driver, you are the most important piece of safety equipment in the vehicle. Make sure you are well-rested before setting out on the road. Update eyewear prescriptions and take all necessary medications with you inside the vehicle so you’re not tempted to skip a dose while driving.

Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, but never drink alcohol and drive. The National Safety Council also recommends you avoid smoking while driving, since the nicotine and carbon monoxide in smoke can hinder night vision.

Finally, avoid frustration driving by minimizing distractions. Plan your route before you leave home so that you don’t have to deal with confusion over where you’re going or the distraction of trying to figure out directions while driving. Ask your passengers to take any incoming phone calls or texts – unless you’re driving in an area that prohibits cell phone use in the car.

Families across the country look forward to summer vacation. With a little preparation and a few well-chosen supplies and accessories, you can help ensure every hour on the road is as safe, convenient and enjoyable as possible.